Seizure

We read with great interest the article by K Mohamed and colleagues on the neuro-imaging evaluation after the first afebrile seizure in children, in which they identified abnormalities among 32/96 (33%) patients[1]. The authors identified a significantly higher percentage (59%) of abnormal imaging among those under the age of 2 years, however there was no statistically significant difference between those with focal epileptic and generalised seizures (35% vs 32% respectively). Their retrospective study included previously healthy patients who attended their ...

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) superficially resemble epileptic seizures, but are not associated with epileptiform activity. Instead, most PNES can be understood as paroxysmal responses to distressing stimuli [1,2]. Along with syncope and epilepsy, PNES are the most common diagnoses in patients presenting to doctors with transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) [3].

Sodium valproate (VPA) and lamotrigine (LTG) are the broad-spectrum anticonvulsants drugs used in both generalized and partial seizures. Weight gain is a well-known adverse effect of VPA treatment occurring in up to 71% of exposed patients, although typically the rate is around 10%1. Weight gain is the most common reason for patients to discontinue VPA treatment2–4. In a study, 38% of VPA-treated patients gained more than 10% of their body weight compared with 8% of patients treated with LTG5. Further, ...